Lisa parked the car, and Adrienne stepped out, her all-black attire making her appear like a shadow against the morning sun.
"What's going on here?" Adrienne demanded, her voice firm yet tinged with curiosity.
Annabelle turned, her expression a mix of frustration and relief. 
"Adrienne, thank goodness you're here. I need your help," she said urgently.
Adrienne folded her hands under her breasts. "This is the first time we are talking, right? And you are trying to sound informal with me. I don't remember us being friends," she remarked.
"Let me explain what I need your help with, please, before you criticize or send me away," Annabelle pleaded.
"I am heading somewhere, so make it quick," Adrienne said, her tone unyielding.
Annabelle sighed and began to speak. 
"I need a place to stay, please. I need you to hide me... just for a few days."
"I should hide you?" Adrienne repeated in disbelief.
"It sounds like you did something shady. I better inform Ryan," Adrienne said, reaching for her phone, but Annabelle pushed it away, causing it to land on the floor.
"Hey!" Adrienne exclaimed, glaring at Annabelle.
"Look, I'm sorry. But you can't tell Ryan, please. I won't bother you. I won't make any noise, I promise," Annabelle pleaded.
Adrienne burst into laughter, a mocking sound that filled the air. 
"See what Adrienne Davison has been reduced to," she laughed. 
"Do you think I am stupid? I know you and Linc have something together, so it's obvious you are helping him. You guys are plotting something against me, right? 
 And this is your task in the plan, right? Probably to cook up a lie to get me to pity you and let you into my house, then you'll steal something from me, probably something that Linc and Juliette need to spread another bad thing about me, right? I have seen through your plan," Adrienne accused.
"Seen through what plan? I am not and have never been involved in anything concerning you and everything spreading online," Annabelle said, her face and tone serious, causing Adrienne to feel a bit convinced.
"But you are still with Linc," Adrienne smirked at her.
"I am actually running away from him. I know he is going to come after me," Annabelle said.
Adrienne scoffed in disbelief.
"In that case, get in and follow me to the police station."
"What? No! I am not reporting Lincoln to the police. He is going to deal with me," Annabelle protested.
"I am the one filing a case. You'll sign up as my witness, and we'll teach him a lesson together," Adrienne said.
Now, Annabelle was silent.
"You see?" Adrienne said.
"I knew you were lying. You have an ulterior motive," Adrienne accused Annabelle.
"Go find someone else to hide you," Adrienne said, picked up her phone and entered her car again. Lisa got in too and started the car. But before she could drive off, Annabelle got to the other back seat's door and entered the car.
"I am coming with you," Annabelle said and took her seat.
Lisa wanted to call one of the security men to carry Annabelle out, but Adrienne signaled her to leave Annabelle. Then, Lisa started the drive to the police station.
"Lincoln got nothing from Michael's will, and now he is broke. He has been kicked out by Ryan from both the family house and Haven group, and now, he is weak. He is trying to run away from the country, and that's why he forced me to sell all the valuable things I had and said I'll follow him to wherever he plans to run to. 
 He eventually stole the money from me after I refused to give it to him because he didn't sell his own properties. He cheated me," Annabelle explained to Adrienne.
"He already took the money from you, so why would he want to 'deal with you'?" Adrienne air quoted.
"Because I have a very prized possession of his. It's his secret card, and the moment he realizes it's with me, he is going to come looking for me," Annabelle said.
"Don't you have family members? Why come to me for help?" Adrienne asked.
"If you were Linc, where would you expect me to hide?" Annabelle asked.
"People close to you?"
"Exactly. He won't expect me to come to you, and that's why I am here," Annabelle said.
Adrienne was silent and thought for a while.
"Whatever," Adrienne said dismissively and reached for her phone.
She sent a text to Lisa, who was driving, and when Lisa saw the text, she parked the car to reply.
Adrienne's text read:
"What do you think? Will she be of any help? Should I inform Ryan?"
"You can keep her at the hotel. I also don't trust her, and she'll be of little help. And yes, you should inform Ryan. I think he deserves to know," Lisa replied to her text.
There was silence in the car, and Annabelle felt uncomfortable as she didn't understand why the car was just parked and no one was saying anything.
"Drive to the hotel then," Adrienne replied, and Lisa continued driving again.
Adrienne texted Ryan and informed him about Annabelle and all the things she said, then Adrienne patiently waited for his reply.
They arrived at the hotel, and Annabelle was visibly nervous.
"Why are we at a hotel?" she asked Adrienne.
"I own the hotel. You can stay in one of the suites for a few days until you figure out what to do next with your life," Adrienne said.
"I thought we were going to the police station."
"You will be of no help in this battle between me and Linc. Just stay in the hotel and think about what's next. You aren't my responsibility, and I don't care about whatever decision you make," Adrienne said.
Her phone chimed, signaling a message notification, and it was a text from Ryan.
"I don't understand why she'll go to you. Tell me where she is, and I'll pick her up," was Ryan's reply.
For some reason she couldn't quite understand, Adrienne didn't want to tell Ryan where Annabelle was.
He hares Annabelle, so why would he suggest picking her up without any hesitation? Adrienne wondered.
"Why don't you want me to tell Ryan?" Adrienne asked Annabelle.
"Because he is also a jerk, hiding under his kindness and sweet smiles. I just want to turn his cute face into a punching bag," Annabelle replied.
"There's more to it, right?" Adrienne asked suspiciously.
"Are you helping me or not?" Annabelle diverted.
"Rude!" Adrienne rolled her eyes.
Annabelle heaved a sigh. 
"I'm sorry," she apologized to Adrienne.
"Whatever. Follow me," Adrienne got out of the car and went into the hotel. The receptionist from earlier in the morning wasn't at the desk, and Adrienne smiled proudly. 
She instructed the new receptionist to give Annabelle a suite and then left.
"I have no idea what's happening between Ryan, Linc, and Annabelle," Adrienne said to Lisa.
"We will have to find out first. Up next, the police station," Lisa said and started the car.
Upon arriving at the station, Adrienne handed the CCTV footage of Linc to the police and patiently waited for their reaction. 
The police officer who took the footage looked at it carefully and frowned. He turned to Adrienne and Lisa and said, 
"Thank you, ladies. Although this shows a lot, it isn't definite evidence. We'll bring him in for questioning, and we'll also have to examine your car first."
"You guys need to do that quickly. He is planning on running away from the country," Adrienne urged.
"We will be as fast as possible," the officer assured Adrienne.
As Adrienne stood outside the station, waiting for Lisa to bring the car from wherever she parked it, she noticed a group of about five women at her left side staring at her.
"Why are they looking at me?" She frowned at them and then remembered that she wasn't wearing her disguise: cap, glasses, and mask.
Dang it!
"She's a shame to womanhood," one of the women said. Adrienne only heard 'she's a shame,' and those words struck hard on her heart.
Lisa arrived with the car, and Adrienne hurriedly ran to enter the car.
"Do you have any drink here and a cup?" Adrienne asked Lisa.
"I've got some already melted ice cream in a cup. Are you thirsty?" Lisa asked, concerned.
"It's not for me, and give me the ice cream," Adrienne said.
Adrienne gracefully strode to where the woman who called her a shame was standing. Without warning, Adrienne poured the ice cream on the woman's face, leaving her flabbergasted. Adrienne smirked at her and proudly strolled back to the car.
"What the hell was that? Did she do something to you while I wasn't here?" Lisa asked.
"Just drive," Adrienne said dismissively.
Lisa sighed and did as she was instructed.
Adrienne seethed with rage in the back seat. She couldn't wait to get Linc locked up in prison and start a new life with Richard and their unborn child in a non-toxic environment. 
Also, where is Richard now that she needed him the most?
Just as she thought of Richard, a text from him entered her phone.